Dextrin Solution Research Articles

Sex Differences in Alcohol-related Cardiomyopathy

Alcohol-related Cardiomyopathy (ACM) manifests in humans with a significant history of alcohol use and is characterized by ventricular dilation and cardiac function impairment. Although the most common age group for ACM is males between the ages of 30-55, women require a lesser lifetime alcohol exposure to develop ACM than men. The objective of this study is to assess sexual differences in a mouse model of chronic plus binge alcohol consumption. We hypothesize that female mice exposed to chronic plus binge alcohol will not develop as severe cardiac dysfunction as their male counterparts. In this study, male (n=19) and female (n=14) C57BL/6J mice were provided chronic plus binge alcohol feeding. After 5 days of acclimation to the liquid diet, mice are fed ad libitum 5% ethanol (EtOH) liquid or isocaloric control liquid diet for 30 days. At 10 and 30 days, mice received an oral binge dose of EtOH (5 g/kg body weight), or isocaloric maltose dextrin solution (9 g/kg body weight). Noninvasive cardiac structural and functional data were obtained via echocardiography at baseline and following binges. After 30 days, cardiac hemodynamics was measured by open chest left ventricle catheterization. Two-way ANOVA with Tukey’s post hoc analysis was performed for each cardiac parameter, and significance was defined as p<0.05. Male EtOH mice exhibited a significant decrease in stroke work (1119 ± 297 mmHg/mL when compared to male controls, 1622 ± 365 mmHg/mL; p= 0.03). Female EtOH mice had a nonsignificant decrease in stroke work (1242 ± 374 mmHg/mL when compared to female controls, 1423 ± 469 mmHg/mL; p= 0.80). Maximum left ventricular pressure was decreased 20% in male EtOH mice (p=0.003) but increased 10% in female EtOH mice (p=0.46). The maximum rate of pressure change within the ventricle was 24% lower in the male EtOH mice (p=0.02) and 9% higher in female EtOH mice (p=0.87). The minimum rate of pressure change within the ventricle was 24% higher in male EtOH mice (p=0.02) and 17% lower in female ETOH mice (p=0.44). After 30 days of EtOH exposure, male mice showed significant systolic and diastolic dysfunction. Female mice on the other hand, did not show substantial cardiac dysfunction after chronic plus binge ethanol exposure. Further experiments involving qPCR of proinflammatory and profibrotic markers will elucidate the molecular mechanism of sex differences in ACM development. R21AA029747 (JG & CB) & T32AA007577. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Study on synthesis and characterization of spherical copper(I) 5‐nitrotetrazolate (DBX‐1)

AbstractTraditional primary explosives often contain heavy metals, especially toxic lead, such as lead azide (LA) and lead styphnate (LS) that can cause environmental pollution problems. Copper(I) 5‐nitrotetrazolate (DBX‐1) is a green primary explosive without toxic heavy metals, which is considered as one of the most promising alternatives to LA. DBX‐1 is usually synthesized from sodium 5‐nitrotetrazolate dihydrate (NaNT ⋅ 2H2O) and copper(I) chloride (CuCl). However, most of the synthesized products are irregular flakes with poor flowability, which affects the loadability. In this study, dextrin was used as a crystal shape modifier to improve the morphology of the synthesized product. Taguchi analysis method was used to determine the optimal experimental conditions for obtaining the spherical DBX‐1 with smaller particle size. The synthesized products were characterized by SEM, FTIR, UV‐Vis, STA TG‐DSC and VST, and their sensitivity was determined by BAM fallhammer, BAM friction tester and electrostatic spark sensitivity tester. The experiment results showed that the optimal combination of synthesis parameters was the NaNT ⋅ 2H2O concentration of 4.4 wt.%, the reaction temperature of 100 °C, the reaction time of 75 min and the additional dextrin solution of 5.0 mL. The average particle size of the synthesized spherical DBX‐1 was 33.0 μm. The decomposition activation energy was calculated by Kissinger method and Ozawa method to be 178.5 and 178.8 kJ/mol, respectively. The compound had good chemical stability. In addition, the sensitivity of spherical DBX‐1 was lower compared to that of flaky DBX‐1 and LA.

Effects of moderate ethanol consumption as a function of n-6:n-3 dietary ratio on lipid profile, inflammation, and liver function in mice

ObjectiveIt is critical to understand how moderate ethanol exposure interacts with dietary components such as essential fatty acids to influence inflammatory processes underlying CVD pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of moderate ethanol consumption and dietary n-6:n-3 fatty acid composition on markers associated with CVD in mice. MethodsTwenty-three C57BL/6J mice consumed an 18% ethanol solution or 26.9% maltose dextrin solution (isocaloric control) for 12 weeks. Within each group, the mice were fed either a high n-6 (n-6:n-3 = 50:1) diet or a balanced n-3 (n-6:n-3 = 1:1) diet ad libitum. Following the exposure period, serum samples were analyzed to assess lipid profile, inflammatory markers, antioxidant capacity, DNA damage, and liver function enzyme activity. ResultsThe control group gained more weight than the ethanol group (P = 0.020). In ethanol-exposed mice, HDL was significantly increased (P = 0.009). C-reactive protein (CRP; P < 0.001), high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1; P = 0.011), 8-oxo-deoxyguanosine (8-oxo-dG; P = 0.019), ALT (P = 0.002) and AP (P = 0.021) were lower in the ethanol group. There was a significant main effect of the n-3 diet on total antioxidant capacity (TAC; P < 0.001) and 8-oxo-dG (P = 0.047). ConclusionThese findings indicate that moderate ethanol consumption and a balanced n-6:n-3 diet improve several inflammatory and lipid markers associated with CVD. Observed differences in weight gain between groups should be considered when interpreting these results.

Effects of Moderate Ethanol Consumption with a n‐3 Diet on Inflammation and Total Antioxidant Capacity in Mice

Excessive alcohol intake is known to elevate risk for cardiovascular diseases (CVD); however, several studies have reported that moderate alcohol consumption may not contribute additional risk or may provide a protective effect against CVD. It is critical to understand how moderate ethanol exposure interacts with other essential dietary components such as n-3 fatty acids to influence inflammation underlying CVD pathogenesis. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of moderate ethanol consumption as a function of dietary n-6:n-3 fatty acid composition on markers associated with inflammation and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) in mice. Twenty-three mice (12 male, 11 female) consumed an 18% ethanol solution or 26.9% maltose dextrin solution (non-ethanol isocaloric control) for 12 weeks. In each group, half of the mice were fed either a high n-6 (n-6:n-3 = 50:1) diet or a balanced n-3 (n-6:n-3 = 1:1) diet ad libitum. There were no differences in initial body weight between the two groups; however, the control group gained significantly more weight than the ethanol group (P = 0.020) associated with higher maltose dextrin fluid intake (P < 0.001). C-reactive protein and high mobility group box 1 protein were significantly lower in the ethanol group compared to the control group (P < 0.001 and P = 0.029, respectively). There was a significant main effect of n-3 diet on total antioxidant capacity (TAC; P < 0.001) and no significant effect of ethanol on TAC. These findings indicate that moderate consumption of alcohol may improve inflammatory markers associated with CVD in mice; however, the results should be interpreted with caution due to the differences in weight gain between groups.

Rice granules with improved solubility prepared via fluidised-bed granulation

Abstract The purpose of this study was to improve the processability of rice powder using fluidised-bed granulation technology. Bukkyungmi-rice granules were prepared by fluidised-bed granulation for 1 and 2 h using water, 5% lactose (w/v) and 5% dextrin (w/v) solutions as dispersants. The particle size of Bukkyungmi-rice granules increased from 574.83 to 728.07 μm. Granules were produced due to pore formation, and the produced particles could be dispersed easily without any entanglement. The water solubility of the produced rice granules is 1.91–6.74%, which reflects the improvement in their quality with increased treatment time. In particular, Bukkyungmi-rice granules processed in 5% dextrin showed excellent settleability. The enthalpy (ΔH) was found to be the highest for Bukkyungmi-rice granules processed in 5% dextrin for 2 h by differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicated that rice granules obtained by fluidised-bed granulation could be used in various types of rice-based foods.

Evaluation of Degree of Collapse and Its Relationship with Retention of Organic Volatiles in Freeze-Dried Dextrin Matrices

Dextrin solutions with organic volatiles (straight-chain fatty alcohols: C1–C10 and straight-chain ethyl esters: C2–C10) were freeze-dried under the conditions of controlled heating and vapor trans...

Monitoring of primary drying in the freeze-drying process using an open-ended coaxial microwave resonator

An open-ended coaxial microwave resonator was designed and applied for monitoring the primary drying stage in the freeze-drying process by microwave resonance spectroscopy. A stainless steel cylindrical resonator with an inner cavity and cylindrical core was designed to sense the electrical permittivity and permeability (i.e., dielectric property) in the space over the resonator. The obtained spectrum patterns and peak intensities in the frequency range of 2500–3000 MHz responded sensitively to different volumes of ice over the probe. Monitoring of freeze-drying of a dextrin solution and sliced apple was successfully achieved by tracking the peak shift and/or the intensity of selected peak frequencies. The end-point of drying estimated from the microwave resonator perfectly corresponded to the point estimated from the product temperature during drying. This sensing device can potentially be applied for in-line monitoring of the freeze-drying process without contact to product, especially in a freeze-drying process.

Effects of Moderate Ethanol Consumption with a n‐3 Diet on Lipid Profile and Liver Function in Mice

Several studies have found a non‐linear relationship between alcohol consumption and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, suggesting that low or moderate consumption of alcohol may provide cardioprotective effects, while excessive alcohol consumption increases the risk of CVD. Studies also suggest that increased dietary consumption of n‐3 fatty acids may reduce CVD risk. The purpose of this study is to examine the effects of moderate ethanol consumption as a function of dietary n‐6:n‐3 fatty acid composition on markers associated with cardiovascular disease and liver dysfunction in mice. Twenty‐three mice (12 male, 11 female) consumed an 18% ethanol solution or 26.9% maltose dextrin solution (non‐ethanol isocaloric control) for 12 weeks. In each group, half of the mice were fed either a high n‐6 (n‐6:n‐3 = 50:1) diet or a balanced n‐3 (n‐6:n‐3 = 1:1) diet ad libitum. There were no differences in initial body weight between the two groups; however, the control group gained significantly more weight than the ethanol group (P = 0.020) associated with higher maltose dextrin fluid intake (P &lt; 0.001). In the control group, the balanced n‐3 diet resulted in significantly lower aspartate aminotransferase (AST) levels (P = 0.010) compared to the high n‐6 diet. In the ethanol group, the balanced n‐3 diet resulted in lower levels of serum triglycerides (P = 0.086), total cholesterol (P= 0.096), and low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) levels (P = 0.053) that were approaching significance. These findings indicate that a diet with a balanced n‐6 to n‐3 ratio may improve several lipid profile markers associated with CVD in mice who concurrently consume moderate amounts of alcohol.Support or Funding InformationNIH AA023291

Optimization of simultaneous saccharification and isomerization of dextrin to high fructose syrup using a mixture of immobilized amyloglucosidase and glucose isomerase

High fructose syrup is a sweetener widely used as a substitute for sucrose in the food and beverage industry with its current industrial production being carried out in three sequential processes using three different enzymes that operate under different pH and temperature conditions. In this study, a single step synergistic saccharification and isomerization process has been proposed, using the commercial amyloglucosidase from Aspergillus niger immobilized by the CLEA technique (co-aggregated with magnetic nanoparticles and polyethyleneimine), and the commercial immobilized glucose isomerase (IGI) from Streptomyces murinus, Sweetzyme® IT Extra. Immobilization stabilized both enzymes, widening the operation window, thus, by applying a factorial design with a central composite rotatable design it was possible to define an optimal condition of pH and temperature of the process, as well as the best ratio between the two enzymes (pH 5.7, 50 °C and UGI/UAMG ratio of 1.56). Simultaneous saccharification and isomerization of 35 % (w/v) dextrin solution produced a Dextrose Equivalent yield over 95 %, with a glucose-to-fructose conversion around 48 % after 30 h of reaction. In addition, both biocatalysts could be reused for six consecutive cycles, maintaining glucose-to-fructose conversions without loss of activity and with easy recovery of the biocatalysts. Furthermore, because they are of different natures (magnetic CLEA of amyloglucosidase and non-magnetic IGI pellets), if one of these biocatalysts is inactivated, they can be easily separated and reloaded individually.

Drying of a single droplet of dextrin: Drying kinetics modeling and particle formation.

Powder production by spray drying is achieved through the dehydration of droplets. The physical properties of the dried powder often influence its application. The drying kinetics of a single droplet of dextrin solution into the solid phase were monitored during the drying process. An acoustic levitator was used to suspend the droplet in the acoustic field. Such experiments are essential for achieving a fundamental understanding of the drying process. Droplets with different initial solid content (dextrin aqueous solution of 10% and 30%) were investigated at different gas drying temperatures. The drying curves were compared to the Reaction Engineering Approach (REA) model. A good agreement between the model prediction and the experimental results was demonstrated, with an absolute relative error of about 2% between the initial droplet mass and the droplet mass that the REA model predicted. The final particle diameter was estimated theoretically and compared to the experimental data. Single droplet simulations have enormous potential for drying step characterization of expensive compounds and highly potent drugs, due to the low amounts that the experiments require.

Voluntary Chronic Heavy Alcohol Consumption in Male Rhesus Macaques Suppresses Cancellous Bone Formation and Increases Bone Marrow Adiposity.

Chronic heavy alcohol consumption is an established risk factor for bone fracture, but comorbidities associated with alcohol intake may contribute to increased fracture rates in alcohol abusers. To address the specific effects of alcohol on bone, we used a nonhuman primate model and evaluated voluntary alcohol consumption on: (i) global markers of bone turnover in blood and (ii) cancellous bone mass, density, microarchitecture, turnover, and microdamage in lumbar vertebra. Following a 4-month induction period, 6-year-old male rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta, n=13) voluntarily self-administered water or ethanol (EtOH; 4% w/v) for 22h/d, 7 d/wk, for a total of 12months. Control animals (n=9) consumed an isocaloric maltose-dextrin solution. Tetracycline hydrochloride was administered orally 17 and 3days prior to sacrifice to label mineralizing bone surfaces. Global skeletal response to EtOH was evaluated by measuring plasma osteocalcin and carboxyterminal collagen cross-links (CTX). Local response was evaluated in lumbar vertebra using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, microcomputed tomography, static and dynamic histomorphometry, and histological assessment of microdamage. Monkeys in the EtOH group consumed an average of 2.8±0.2 (mean±SE) g/kg/d of EtOH (30±2% of total calories), resulting in an average blood EtOH concentration of 88.3±8.8mg/dl 7hours after the session onset. Plasma CTX and osteocalcin tended to be lower in EtOH-consuming monkeys compared to controls. Significant differences in bone mineral density in lumbar vertebrae 1 to 4 were not detected with treatment. However, cancellous bone volume fraction (in cores biopsied from the central region of the third vertebral body) was lower in EtOH-consuming monkeys compared to controls. Furthermore, EtOH-consuming monkeys had lower osteoblast perimeter and mineralizing perimeter, no significant difference in osteoclast perimeter, and higher bone marrow adiposity than controls. No significant differences between groups were detected in microcrack density (2nd lumbar vertebra). Voluntary chronic heavy EtOH consumption reduces cancellous bone formation in lumbar vertebra by decreasing osteoblast-lined bone perimeter, a response associated with an increase in bone marrow adiposity.

Coating of Seeds with Collagen Hydrolysates from Leather Waste

The subject of this paper is improvement in the growth and yield of three different types of legumes and rape in drought conditions by coating seeds with hydrolysed collagen from tanning waste. In addition, the impact of various additives in the seed shell on the growth of the plant was investigated. The encapsulation process of seeds was conducted on a disc granulator. A centrally placed seed was first coated with a layer of fungicides. The next layer was collagen hydrolysate, collagen hydrolysate with latex or a solution of yellow dextrin and polyvinyl alcohol. The outer layer was a mineral additive e.g. dolomite or kaolin. After the end of the encapsulation process on the disk granulator, all of the seeds tested were sown into soils. Seeds without coating were also sown as control seeds. Seedlings were maintained for 29 days with cultivation without irrigation. The length of the seedlings was analysed for all of the seeds sown. Higher seedling growth values were obtained for seeds coated with collagen hydrolysate in comparison with control seeds (without coating). The use of collagen hydrolysate gave slightly better results than in the case of a solution of dextrin with polyvinyl alcohol.

Observation of Microstructure Formation During Freeze-Drying of Dextrin Solution by in-situ X-ray Computed Tomography

In-situ X-ray computed tomography (CT) was used to observe microstructure formations during freeze-drying of a dextrin solution. A specially designed freeze-drying stage was equipped at the X-ray CT stage. Frozen and dried microstructures were successfully observed. The CT images of the frozen solution clarified the ice crystal size increase and obvious boundary formation between the ice and freeze-concentrated phases upon performing post-freezing annealing at −5°C. These structural modifications emerged owing to Ostwald ripening and glassy phase relaxation. During the freeze-drying, pore microstructures formed as a consequence of water removal. The pores were replicas of the original ice microstructures; some pore microstructures newly formed by the removal of water. The latter mechanism was more obvious in the non-annealed sample than in the annealed sample. The glassy phase in the non-annealed solution was not perfectly freeze-concentrated; water was rapidly removed from this phase, losing its original microstructure. At this moment, the freeze-concentrated region piled up to new pore walls, which consequently thickened the pore walls. An image analysis estimated that the mean pore wall thicknesses for the non-annealed and annealed samples were 13.5 and 8.6 μm, respectively. It was suggested that the advantages of annealing are not only to reduce drying time owing to the modification of ice crystal morphologies but also to avoid quality loss related to the structural deformation of the glassy matters.

CRAMP Deletion Exacerbates Alcohol‐induced Organ Damage via Regulation of Gut Microbiota and Inflammasome Activation

BackgroundRecent studies identify that antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) function as immune‐regulators in addition to their antimicrobial property.as CRAMP is the murine ortholog of human LL‐37, the only known member of cathelicidin AMP family. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is characterized by gut dysbiosis and intestinal and hepatic inflammation. We previously showed a decreased expression of intestinal CRAMP in a mouse model of ALD, suggesting a potential role of CRAMP in ALD. Gut microbiota‐derived butyrate increases pancreatic CRAMP, which is important in regulating autoimmune diabetes. Here we aimed to test the hypothesis that CRAMP protects the liver and pancreas from alcohol‐induced organ damage by positively modifying the gut microbiota and inhibiting the pro‐inflammatory response.MethodsCRAMP KO and wild type (WT) mice were subjected to 5% alcohol liquid diet for 24 days and were gavaged with a bolus of alcohol (5g/kg) on the last day. Mice in control groups were fed an isocaloric maltose dextrin solution. Hepatic and pancreatic injury were examined by analyzing serum samples and histological analysis. Mouse fecal samples were collected for metagenomic and metabolomics study. Mouse macrophage Raw 264.7 cells were used to determine the effect of synthetic CRAMP on LPS‐induced inflammatory activation. Results were further examined in CRAMP deficient mouse peritoneal macrophages and bone marrow derived macrophages.ResultsSerum levels of ALT and AST significantly increased by alcohol in both groups but more pronounced in CRAMP KO mice. Alcohol induced an increased and distinct zonal distributed hepatic fat accumulation in CRAMP KO mice compared to WT mice. Furthermore, CRAMP KO mice had increased pro‐inflammatory and decreased anti‐inflammatory cytokines compared to WT mice. In addition, the marker of pancreatitis, serum amylase activity was elevated in CRAMP KO mice, but not in WT mice. Microbiota analysis in mouse fecal samples showed a difference in the abundance of Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla after alcohol exposure between two groups. Metabolomics study showed that major fecal concentrations of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs), in particular, butyric acid, were significantly lower in the CRAMP KO mice than in the WT mice. In vitro study using RAW 264.7 cells demonstrated that sodium salt of butyric acid (NaB) and synthetic CRAMP peptide significantly inhibited LPS‐induced pro‐inflammatory cytokines production in a dose dependent manner, partially through the inhibition of NLRP3 inflammasome activation. Interestingly, ex vivo study demonstrated a reduction of LPS induced IL‐1b expression in CRAMP deficient peritoneal macrophages compared to those from WT mice, suggesting that other compensatory pathways may exist to offset the deleterious effects of CRAMP deficiency.ConclusionsCRAMP deficiency exacerbates ALD and alcoholic pancreatitis through gut dysbiosis associated decrease in SCFAs and increased hepatic and systemic inflammation. Synthetic CRAMP peptide inhibits endotoxin‐associated inflammasome activation. CRAMP signaling may represent a therapeutic approach for ALD and alcoholic pancreatitis.Support or Funding InformationSupported by grants from NIH and Veterans AdministrationThis abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2018 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.

Observation of glassy state relaxation during annealing of frozen sugar solutions by X-ray computed tomography

Glassy phase formation in a frozen product determines various properties of the freeze-dried products. When an aqueous solution is subjected to freezing, a glassy phase forms as a consequence of freeze-concentration. During post-freezing annealing, the relaxation of the glassy phase and the ripening of ice crystals (i.e. Ostwald ripening) spontaneously occur, where the kinetics are controlled by the annealing and glass transition temperatures. This study was motivated to observe the progress of glassy state relaxation separate from ice coarsening during annealing. X-ray computed tomography (CT) was used to observe a frozen and post-freezing annealed solutions by using monochromatized X-ray from the synchrotron radiation. CT images were successfully obtained, and the frozen matrix were analyzed based on the gray level values that were equivalent to the linear X-ray attenuation coefficients of the observed matters. The CT images obtained from rapidly frozen sucrose and dextrin solutions with different concentrations gave clear linear relationships between the linear X-ray attenuation coefficients values and the solute concentrations. It was confirmed that the glassy state relaxation progressed as increasing annealing time, and this trend was larger in the order of the glass transition temperature of the maximally freeze-concentrated phase. The sucrose-water system required nearly 20 h of annealing time at −5 °C for the completion of the glassy phase relaxation, whereas dextrin-water systems required much longer periods because of their higher glass transition temperatures. The trends of ice coarsening, however, did not perfectly correspond to the trends of the relaxation, suggesting that the glassy phase relaxation and Ostwald ripening would jointly control the ice crystal growth/ripening kinetics, and the dominant mechanism differed by the annealing stage.

Preparative fractionation of dextrin by polyethylene glycol: Effects of initial dextrin concentration and pH

Polyethylene glycol (PEG) was further applied for fractionating dextrin prepared from cassava starch. The initial dextrin concentration and pH of the dextrin solutions were crucially considered in this study with the average molecular-weight dispersity (DMa) as the index. The results showed that the initial dextrin concentration significantly affected the mass fraction and the molecular weight distribution of each dextrin fraction obtained from gradient PEG precipitation. However, the initial dextrin concentration, which ranged from 0.9% to 3.6%, did not affect the DMa of the dextrin fractions. Furthermore, the DMa of the fractions obtained at pHs 4.00, 4.96, 6.00, 6.92, 7.99, 8.96, and 9.91, was 1.364, 1.341, 1.305, 1.286, 1.273, 1.311, and 1.404, respectively, while the dispersity of the parent dextrin was 2.052. These results suggest that the preparative approach, gradient PEG precipitation, is applicable in acidic, neutral, and alkaline environments, and that a weakly alkaline environment is optimal for dextrin fractionation.

Preparative fractionation of dextrin by gradient alcohol precipitation

ABSTRACTThis work investigated the impacts of the initial pH and salt of the dextrin solution on fractionating dextrin by gradient alcohol precipitation, represented by gradient ethanol precipitation. Data suggested that this method was applicable in acidic, neutral, and alkaline environment, and the best fractionation effect was achieved at neutrality. In addition, KCl was co-precipitated with dextrin and resulted in earlier precipitation of some dextrin than in the KCl-free solution, which indicated that salt negatively affected fractionation. Furthermore, the effect of salt was positively correlated to its concentration.

Effects of In Ovo feeding of dextrin-iodinated casein in broilers: I. Hatch weights and early growth performance

This study was conducted to determine the effect of in ovo feeding of dextrin (Dext) and iodinated casein (IC) on hatch and early growth in broilers. Three experiments were conducted at a commercial hatchery using a commercial Inovoject™ system with treatments occurring in conjunction with vaccination at transfer from incubator to hatcher units (18.5 to 19 d embryonic development). In all 3 experiments, approximately 15,000 eggs (2,500 eggs per group) were treated and transferred to a single hatcher unit. Treatments in Exp. 1 consisted of buffered saline solution alone (Control, Cont) or a dextrin solution (Dext, 18% maltodextrin, 10% potato starch dextrin) containing zero, 80, 240, 720, or 2,160 μg IC/mL. The results of this initial experiment indicated that broiler chicks at hatch that received 240 and 720 μg IC/mL in Dext were heavier (P < 0.05) compared to the other treatment groups; there were no differences in hatchability between groups. Based on these findings, subsequent studies used treatments of zero, 240, and 480 μg/mL IC in Dext or Cont. In Exp. 2, hatch weights in all treatment groups were higher (P < 0.05) compared to those receiving Cont. In Exp. 3, chicks given Dext alone or 240 and 480 μg/mL in saline weighed less at hatch compared to the other treatment groups. However, chicks provided Dext alone in Exp. 3 had less weight loss after a 24-hour holding period compared to the other groups. All treatment groups exhibited greater weight gain from one to 10 d compared to the Cont group. The results indicate that in ovo feeding of broiler embryos with Dext containing 240 and 480 μg IC/mL may have beneficial effects on broiler hatch weights and early growth rate.

CRAMP deletion exacerbates chronic‐binge alcohol‐induced liver steatosis and injury via regulation of gut microbiota and hepatic inflammation

BackgroundAntimicrobial peptides (AMPs) expressed in epithelial and immune cells are largely designated for defense against invading microorganisms. LL‐37 is the only known member of human cathelicidin antimicrobial peptide family, known as CRAMP in mouse. With growing understanding of its properties, we know that LL‐37/CRAMP functions also as an immune‐regulator in various diseases, including metabolic diseases. Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is characterized by gut dysbiosis and intestinal and hepatic inflammation. Previous work in our lab has shown a decreased expression of CRAMP mRNA level in the intestine in a mouse model of ALD, indicating that CRAMP may play an important role in ALD. However, the mechanism underlying the effects of CRAMP in ALD is unclear.MethodsCRAMP KO mice and their control wild type (WT) mice were subjected to Lieber DeCarli liquid diet containing 5% alcohol for 24 days, a bolus of alcohol (5g/kg) was gavaged to the mice 6 hours before harvesting on the last day. A group of alcohol‐exposed mice were treated with synthetic CRAMP peptide at a dose of 100 μg via IP injection for 3 times in the last week. Mice in pair‐fed groups were fed an isocaloric maltose dextrin solution. Serum samples were collected for ALT, AST and LPS measurement using commercial kits. Liver and intestine tissue samples were collected and processed for histological analysis. In vitro study used the mouse macrophage cell line, Raw 264.7, to determine the effect of CRAMP on LPS‐induced inflammatory activation.ResultsAlcohol feeding significantly increased serum levels of ALT and AST in both WT and CRAMP KO mice, but these elevations were more pronounced in the KO mice. Analysis of gut microbiota by pyrosequencing of fecal and cecal samples revealed a more severe dysbiosis in the KO mice. Endotoxin levels in the serum of the KO mice were higher than in the WT mice. Histological study by HE staining on liver tissues showed hepatic lipid accumulation increased after alcohol exposure in WT mice and was further elevated in CRAMP KO mice. Liver triglyceride measurement further confirmed the histological results for hepatic steatosis. Furthermore, hepatic pro‐inflammatory cytokine expression was increased in the KO mice compared to the WT mice. CAE and F4/80 staining of liver tissues showed a significantly elevated neutrophils/macrophage infiltration in CRAMP KO mice. In vitro study using RAW264.7 cell line demonstrated that treatment with synthetic CRAMP peptide significantly blocked the LPS‐induced mRNA expression of pro‐inflammatory cytokines IL‐6, IL‐1β and TNFα in a dose‐dependent manner.ConclusionsCRAMP deficiency exacerbates ALD through multiple mechanisms, including dysbiosis and endotoxemia and increases hepatic inflammation. Synthetic CRAMP peptide treatment reduces alcohol exposure‐induced liver steatosis and injury. CRAMP pathway may represent a therapeutic approach for ALD.Support or Funding InformationSupported by NIH and Veterans Administration

Fractionation of dextrin by gradient polyethylene glycol precipitation

This work aimed at developing a novel approach, named gradient polyethylene glycol (PEG) precipitation, to fractionate dextrin into fractions with narrower molecular weight distribution. This approach was based on the incompatibility between PEG and dextrin in aqueous solution; this incompatibility is positively correlated with the molecular weight of dextrin. Theoretically, dextrin can be precipitated in descending order of molecular weight by the gradual addition of PEG into the dextrin solution. Specifically, this study investigated the effects of molecular weight and its distribution of PEG on dextrin fractionation with the molecular-weight dispersity (DM) as index. The parent dextrin could be fractionated by PEG into several fractions with different molecular weights and lower DM. The average DM of fractions obtained by PEG2000, PEG4000, PEG6000, PEG10000, and PEG20000 was 1.471, 1.352, 1.286, 1.453, and 2.028, respectively, while the DM of the parent dextrin was 2.052. These data suggest that PEG6000 was the optimal precipitant, while PEG20000 was unsuitable for fractionating dextrin. Furthermore, narrowly-distributed PEG resulted in optimum fractionation results. Therefore, gradient PEG precipitation is an efficient method for fractionating dextrin. Additionally, narrowly-distributed PEG of suitable molecular weight should be selected to obtain superior fractionation results.